Purple auroras and a calm wind current made the atmosphere feel very peaceful yet heavily loaded with energy. The eclipse subsided, and the full moon took its place in the firmament. By the time the Skill was done, Konoha's paradigmas had changed.
The sword lost its power once used, the gems lost their hue, and the ember quickly decayed, transforming back into an eye, depleted of energy. It had just created a miracle.
Itachi looked at the skies, lost for words. The memories had also surged into his mind, different perspectives, different results. It was done... everything that he had sacrificed, the stratagem under which he had lived, all gone.
Now, people would be allowed to make their own judgment. He stared at Azrael, who in return was looking at him with a gaze of satisfaction.
With this, her job was done. She had fought for the truth, and she had attained it. She bowed deeply towards her master and the two elves who made it possible. Just as she thought, her beloved God had been able to do it. By his hand or by someone else's, it didn't matter. He got it done.
"Death is not the only path, Itachi. Are you going to leave your young brother to cope with this truth by himself?" She uttered with a smile, having already set her plan in motion.
Galadriel understood her ploy and giggled behind her. She had also decided that Itachi Uchiha would live whether he wanted or not.
"You are not fair" The young man sighed and stood up. With a sky as beautiful as the one before him, any foolish thoughts ceased to exist.
"When death doesn't wish to claim you, it won't".
Galadriel then turned towards him, "Raise your head, child. You are such a brave, honest and pure soul. My name is Galadriel, the last Midnight Elf and consort of the Sun. I shall give you a gift".
She took the eye that was depleted of energy and imbued a bit into it, making it gain its hue along the purple pupils. Then she placed the eye between her and Itachi, and blew a soft breeze.
The eye disintegrated into motes of light that entered Itachi's eye socket. The boy gasped, and so did Ray... Galadriel had wilfully acted without asking for permission, as she'd used to. Rather than being angry, though, he was happy. Happy that she had decided to do something on her own volition, with her own freedom.
The young man gasped as brightness entered his eye little by little, but... he was fated not to look at everything the same way anymore. Galadriel took a step back as Itachi panted and held his eyes that felt like they were burning.
The Midnight Elf walked back to Ray and hugged him as if asking for headpats.
"Are you sure, Galadriel? You know with your eye... he's not going to be common again" Ray muttered. This small gesture might as well have made Itachi into a Demigod.
"I am, my dearest. It would be a pity if a soul this pure perished. You are planning to marry Tsunade shortly, right?~ this will be my gift to her... a very capable retainer".
When Itachi's eyes opened, his sharingan was not the same, and the base colour was no longer red but rather, gold... it took over his entire eye and had six tomoes. His vision was no longer blurry. Instead, he could see WAY more than before.
It was almost as if he had been blind his entire life. The difference was abysmal. As far or as close as he wanted, looking into the past and even the brief future of objects. And then... the truth of the soul.
He could even see the astronomical auras flaring from the people in front of him. That's when he realised the people he had been talking so casually to were, in reality, entities beyond his comprehension. Especially the dark-skinned man, the Hokage's husband.
His aura was so gargantuan that it felt like it entwined with everything in existence. Anything the light of the moon touched, his aura was there. There was also a huge dark energy mixed with his, he could almost hear the faint growling of a creature, as if he were a Jinchuriki harbouring a humongous beast inside.
'W-What is he...?'.
Followed by him, the next most amazing one was the purple-haired beauty with long ears, Galadriel. Her aura was kind, compassionate... but tall, humongous... it reached the skies. It was as if a huge ocean were being compressed within her humanoid body, a lot of energy was leaking and mixing with the surroundings just as she stood, the trees around grew bigger ever so slightly, the flowers gained life, the butterflies flapped with joy. It was surreal.
Then lastly, the blonde beauty with long ears, Anna. She was by far the most 'normal', but that was only when compared with the other people around her. In reality, the size of her aura, which he imagined was a chakra reserve, was as far as to reach the skies; they were golden in colour too and quite bright. Her aura alone seemed to turn the darkness of the night into a new day.
"Stand up, child~ how are your eyes?" Galadriel asked.
"I can see... a lot, thank you. My lady," Itachi spoke very respectfully. He looked at the cavity where her eye was missing. He realised that he had just gotten an invaluable treasure.
"You'd better treasure that eye. Now you have a part of my wife in you..." Ray spoke with mock-jealousy, earning a giggle from Azrael as he pulled her by his side.
"Don't be jealous, my dearest~, he's a good boy~".
Itachi deadpanned, he was being treated like a pet.
"Thank you again, Gara-dieru-san. And Ray-san, yes... I will treasure this eye dearly, thanks for believing in me" His gratitude was immense, but Itachi had a hard time just saying her name.
"Fufufu, there is no need to thank me. Uchiha Itachi. With your new eyes, you may see the truth... use the power I have given you to bring about the world of peace you have envisioned. I... we have high hopes for you~".
...
With that, Ray decided to take Galadriel and Anna away to sightsee, since their matter here was done, he imagined Azrael wanted to talk with Itachi a bit more. He also wanted to make sure Haku wasn't going overboard with Naruto. The last thing he needed was for Tsunade to be at odds not only with Grayfia but with Haku as well, because the latter was bullying her nephew.
They disappeared within the mysterious mist, leaving Azrael and Itachi alone on the mountain from which they could hear the clamouring, crying and screaming of all the citizens beneath.
"Let's go" With one jump, Azrael flashed off the mountain, going down towards the Hokage's office building. Albeit reluctantly, Itachi followed her. Was he afraid of the reactions? Was he afraid of the truth being revealed?
Was he afraid his life was going to change? Itachi didn't know, but this was the first time ever since the massacre that he had appeared in Konoha openly.
Once he landed, some people caught sight of him and Azrae,l and there was silence, awkward, embarrassing silence. But none looked at him like he was a criminal.
Rather, they looked at him as if they were embarrassed with themselves and didn't know how to face this reality. Soon, people started calling, announcing his location. A crowd even bigger than people came to the Hokage Building, but the silence was perpetuated, as if they were waiting for someone to break this tension.
"Welcome back, ITACHI-NII!"
As it couldn't be any other way, the kids were the first ones to greet Itachi. Most of them cried, they screamed and saw in him the ideal Shinobi. A man who could sacrifice his very clan for the sake of the village.
"Thanks for what you have done for us!"
"ITACHI-NII, THANK YOU!".
Slowly, the clamours began as the young Uchiha made his way into the village, escorted by an Archon. Grannies asking him to pass by to get some food, shop owners offering discounts.
Then there were his fellow Jonin comrades, some of whom he had known from his childhood. Three of them stood up in front of him. They first saluted Azrael, then set their gazes on him.
"Kurenai Yūhi, Asuma Sarutobi... and Kakashi Hatake" Itachi frowned, especially looking at his former Anbu squad leader.
The three of them bowed as deeply and as far down as they could in a form of apology, not saying any cheap words, just showing regret and understanding. Asuma Sarutobi in particular looked shattered. He belonged to the same clan as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, his father, who was one of the few individuals who knew the truth and even ordered it.
In front of Itachi Uchiha, whom he had dieheartedly considered a criminal, he felt naked and bare.
"Let's go, Azrael-sama" Itachi didn't feel like he had words to share with these people. Their apologies felt empty. Perhaps it was because of the realisation of his sacrifice, and all the events that unfolded after, but he didn't feel like he was in the right mindset to face the village.
Azrael understood, and two of them disappeared from the public eye. No amount of apologies could face a man who had sacrificed everything.
...
Soon, they reached the Senju manor, and the first person Itachi saw was the first person he actually cared to see... Sasuke was waiting at the door, his eyes stained in tears, having watched the truth.
The truth about his brother, who he really was... perhaps, the affirmation of what he knew all along. That his brother was not an evil and cold-blooded monster, that perhaps there was something beneath the background he was not aware of.
Both brothers finally hugged one another, and just then, Azrael saw the culmination of her hard work and investigation.
"It was all worth it, wasn't it?" Ray had already been there, and he held his angel's waist, proud. She nodded with a slight smile on her face, as much happiness as she could muster.
"Good work, Azrael. You can expect a reward soon~".
"Y-Yes, my lord~".
...
It was very deep at night then, Itachi felt physically revitalised yet mentally exhausted. Tsunade was kind enough to give him and Sasuke a room, telling them that they could speak quite comfortably in the morning, and they deserved to rest.
Naruto also went to sleep; he was quite tired after he was forced to run two laps around the village. Ray was surprised. Haku had been unexpectedly lenient.
Rather than go to sleep, the family congregated in the main room.
Anna and Galadriel were already speaking and getting in touch with Kuroka and Hannah, who were apparently 'grounded' after some awful incident that took place in a Karaoke. Galadriel and Anna wanted to know all the details, and so... the gossiping started.
Tsunade served Haku some tea, then she went and fetched some for Azrael and Ray. Lastly, she put another cup on an empty seat. Yet, no one questioned her intentions.
Ray pulled Azrael to his side and snuggled together, proud of her conviction and actions. Tsunade stared from the opposite side and couldn't find it within herself to even be jealous.
"Good work, Azrael. What you did has saved a lot of steps in my plans," The Hokage muttered.
"How...?"
"We and the whole village now know how the daimyo has been pulling strings, trying to get our village under control. This means I don't have to work hard, killing myself trying to get proof. Sure, I still have to show proof to the council and to the noble houses once I decide to take action, but I at least know within the village I don't have to spare efforts trying to convince my jonin and Anbu to affiliate with our cause, that's a bit refreshing" She sipped her tea joyfully.
"I didn't do it with such intention, but I am glad it is all working in your way. I guess this can be my last gift for you before I return to the heavens".
"You don't have to leave if you don't want to" Tsunade sent that comment offhandedly, earning giggles from the rest of the girls who perked up in the conversation.
"No, my job here is done~ I am happy the way things are", Azrael spoke in contentment.
Tsunade then shot a fierce glare towards Ray, who was caressing his beloved Angel's hair. He returned the stare with a slight tilt of his head.
'Order her to stay with me!' Tsunade demanded with her eyes, but didn't voice anything out loud.
Ray smirked and snuggled further with Azrael, caressing one of her wings even, "My cute angel can do whatever she wants. If she wants to return to the heavens, then that's okay too... ever since she left the heavens, she has worked hard for my sake and then for your sake. Albedo is going to be staying here for a bit, just get along with her".
"Thanks, my lord~ it is my pleasure to serve you".
"She's so cute!~" Galadriel caressed Azrael's chin too, treating her like a cute pup, not that the angel minded.
Only Tsunade could already start imagining her coexistence with Albedo, and she felt the urge to drink several litres of that divine booze.
She was not going to be easy to handle.
'Albedo, huh...?'